CONDITION MONITORING equipment being monitored.
Advanced analytics platforms can detect anomalies and predict potential failures, but they cannot compensate for poorly designed mechanical components. Durable and high- quality motion systems provide the stable performance foundation needed for predictive monitoring technologies to work effectively. Working with experienced suppliers that understand the demands of industrial automation can help manufacturers choose motion control components designed for long operational lifetimes and consistent performance.
RELIABILITY REMAINS THE FOUNDATION OF LIGHTS- OUT MANUFACTURING
As manufacturers continue their shift toward autonomous production, predictive maintenance will play a growing role in protecting productivity and profitability.
a path toward higher productivity, but they also require machines to operate reliably for longer periods with minimal oversight.
This makes proactive maintenance strategies essential. Predictive maintenance allows organisations to anticipate equipment failures and schedule maintenance at the most convenient time, avoiding unexpected disruptions to production.
BUILDING RELIABLE AUTOMATED SYSTEMS Ultimately, the success of predictive maintenance strategies depends on the reliability of the
However, achieving reliable lights-out manufacturing requires more than sophisticated software and analytics. It also depends on robust, dependable motion control systems capable of supporting continuous automated operation. By combining predictive maintenance strategies with high-quality motion components, manufacturers can significantly reduce downtime risks and ensure their automated production systems deliver long-term value.
Electro Mechanical Systems (EMS)
www.ems-limited.co.uk
F
PREDICTIVE MAINTENANCE ADOPTION MORE THAN DOUBLES AS UK MANUFACTURERS PRIORITISE DIGITAL MATURITY
luke has released survey findings revealing a significant acceleration in digital maturity across manufacturing, propelled by a YoY increase in predictive maintenance adoption. Rising investment in Generative AI (38 per cent) and Industrial AI (34 per cent) underscores this transition, as organisations move beyond pilot programmes toward production-scale impact. The research, conducted by Censuswide, surveyed over 600 senior decision-makers and maintenance professionals in the US, the UK, and Germany. Among UK respondents, reactive maintenance dropped significantly year on year from 42 per cent to 26 per cent. Proactive maintenance increased slightly from 48 per cent to 50, while predictive maintenance more than doubled from nine per cent to 22 per cent. The research indicates this transition is being reinforced by increased capital allocation. Over the next 12 months, manufacturers are prioritising technologies that deliver measurable operational impact quickly. The data shows a clear shift toward pragmatic investment: nearly three-quarters (71 per cent) of organisations now allocate 16-30 per cent of their maintenance budgets to new technologies, with investment moving away from exploratory AI (53 per cent in 2024) toward operational priorities including Generative AI (38 per cent), cybersecurity (37
per cent), Industrial AI (34 per cent), and data management (32 per cent).
However, the data also shows a growing disconnect between technology adoption and workforce readiness. The results point to a deeper issue, with skills-related challenges accounting for approximately 77 per cent of all reported obstacles, including knowledge shortages (23 per cent), broad workforce skills shortages (19 per cent), lack of expertise (18 per cent), and skilled labour gaps (17 per cent). As manufacturers move from experimentation in new technologies to execution, respondents show that expectations around Industry 5.0 are resetting accordingly. Confidence in near- term achievement has declined, with the share expecting completion within six months falling from 31 per cent to 20 per cent, while 37 per cent now anticipate a one- to four-year timeline. Instead, the data suggests manufacturers are concentrating on what is achievable now. Nearly half of respondents (45 per cent) plan to advance connected reliability initiatives within the next 12 months; signalling reliability as the practical bridge between near-term operational needs and longer-term Industry 5.0 ambitions. Parker Burke, president of Fluke Corporation, says: “Manufacturers are continuing to invest in digital technologies, but progress depends on how effectively those technologies are applied.
Our findings show that reliability and workforce skills are now the critical factors in converting technology spend into measurable operational improvement. We need a solution to the skills shortage to supplement technology investment for the best results.”
Vineet Thuvara, chief product officer, Fluke Corporation, adds: “The progress is encouraging, but it’s not enough yet. Predictive maintenance is no longer a future ambition: it is the baseline. Manufacturers’ next challenge is scaling adoption and integrating it across the organisation, ensuring these capabilities work in harmony across the organisation, not in isolation.”
Fluke Corporation
www.fluke.com
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